1. Because they are, um, like seriously cute. If you haven't noticed by now, cloth diapers are seriously one of the cutest baby items out there. Companies release new prints sometimes monthly and crazy cloth moms spend all of their "me" money on buying diapers for their kids to crap in. But they are so cute, it makes it totally worth it.

2. Oh yea, they save money. Okay, so maybe we should have started with this because it turns out that this is the biggest reason to cloth diaper. On average it costs around 2k to diaper a child in disposables until the age of two. That's a lot of freaking money that you literally just throw away. Literally.Your money literally gets shit on. And if you're lucky enough like I am, your child still won't be potty trained by the age of three (no matter how many effing m&ms you bribe them with). Cloth diapers on average cost anywhere around $300-500 for a complete stash; with things like brands, styles and quantity effecting your the amount you will spend. There is even a way to diaper a baby from birth to potty training for around $100! Take that Pampers!

3. You get your money back on them! This is huge and goes along with number two. When you are done with your cloth diapers, if they are still in good condition (and you'll be surprised that they will be despite all of the crap they went through - ha) you can resell them for about half of their retail value. And if you have limited edition prints and what not, you can actually sometimes sell them for more than you even paid for them! That's how CRAZY the cloth diaper world is. Who would have thought?

4. You'll finally be able to say you collect things for a hobby. If you don't get this, you will. Cloth diapers are addicting so you may as well say you're an "avid collector" because then you at least sound a little more interesting.

5. They are healthier. Who would have thought that disposables can actually be kinda toxic and stuff? I mean diaper rashes don't come from the diaper themselves do they?! Well it turns out that many disposables are full of carcinogens, allergens and many other "ens" out there that can harm your sweet babe's bum. And it can totally be the cause of that rash that won't disappear! Go cloth and save a bum!

6. They are eco friendly (and now your little hippie heart dances). Disposables sit in landfills for no kidding, like a thousand years or something. That's a lot of piled up crap that can totally be avoided. Flush your baby's poop in the potty and wash your diaper out. You know, that diaper you get to resell later on rather than send to a landfill.

7. They make your kid cooler. I mean everyone knows this! Okay, okay before you hate me, I'm just joking and threw that one in there for good measure.

8. You become a member of the secret world of freaking awesome cloth diaper moms. Most people don't realize just how many moms actually cloth diaper. It's insane how many people do it and it's actually a growing trend. There's Facebook groups and hashtags on Instagram that create a community of awesome. You will become freaking awesome when you start cloth diapering and you'll have tons of crazy, awesome new people to chit chat with about fluff and poop stains. #lifegoals

So there you have it, the basic reasons why you should totally consider cloth diapering your baby. If this post didn't persuade you, then I'm not sure what will other than walking into a cloth diaper store and browsing the diapers and feeling how cuddly, soft they are. OR you can totally browse our website for some of the best and top quality diaper brands out there.

Sasha is the owner and founder of The Mushy Mommy, a natural mother and baby boutique and The Mushy Mommy Village. She is a SAHM who works hard at living as minimal and unprocessed as possible, but never claims perfection. Her mission is to inspire, encourage, enlighten and empower mothers all over to feel good about their choices, to make healthy choices and to enjoy motherhood and all of its beauty and chaos.

Cloth diapers were never, ever on my list of mommy must haves. I didn't register for them; I didn't really know about them and I surely never dreamed I would one day use them and sell them as well.

Not everyone just automatically says, "Hey I think I will cloth diaper." Most moms realize either before or after baby is born that disposables cost quite a bit of money. Families start to realize that with more than one child or with hopes of having many children, the cost of disposables will add up greatly over time. Some families simply can not afford disposables while others just prefer to save some money where they can.

Other moms, like myself, start to notice those piled up disposables and begin to think that there is NO way they are good for our environment. The research I found showed me that not only are they horrible for the environment, but they are horrible because of the chemicals within them as well, making them kinda bad for baby.

We think of baby products as being the safest products around because surely no one is going to make a product that can harm such a sweet, beautiful little baby. But just as we have seen with Johnson and Johnson's or with Pampers Stay Dry, we know that unfortunately not all baby products are genuinely safe. In fact, most often the "popular" and easily accessible ones are the least safest of all. Recalls are often made or research comes out against the big name brand giants for using ingredients that are horrible for anyone, let alone such a small person. Ingredients that are banned in other countries can easily be found in USA products geared for children.

Now, don't get me wrong here...if you use these products, such as Johnson's or disposables, it doesn't meaning you are intentionally harming your baby nor does it make you any less of a mother; that's not the point. Some of us just don't know the facts and some of us know but don't put a lot of care into the facts because they seem like they are "not that big of a deal," and that is totally okay too. To each their own; we can only do our best and what works best for us.

However if you're considering cloth diapers, our graphic shows you just a FEW of the important facts surrounding disposables. So not only are cloth diapers cute and trendy, but they are incredibly helpful in many aspects of it all. Whether you're looking to save money, save the planet or protect your little one's precious skin...cloth is your answer!

Sasha is the owner and founder of The Mushy Mommy, a natural mother and baby boutique and The Mushy Mommy Village. She is a SAHM who works hard at living as minimal and unprocessed as possible, but never claims perfection. Her mission is to inspire, encourage, enlighten and empower mothers all over to feel good about their choices, to make healthy choices and to enjoy motherhood and all of its beauty and chaos.

Below are just some easy pointers for those that are truly looking to budget and cut corners when it comes to diapering their baby. Cloth diapers save money no matter which route you choose, but these pointers below can help you really get by on even less.

1. Skip the fancy detergent. If you notice in our store, we do not promote a particular detergent as "the one you must use." When I started cloth diapering I would drive twenty minutes to get a nearly $20 detergent that didn't last us that long only to later find out that I was misinformed about it's "success" as a cloth diaper detergent. You really do not need a fancy detergent, however you do need to look for certain things. Make sure to choose a detergent that is free of additives, fabric softeners, brighteners and anything along these lines. If you're using a plant based, natural detergent (which we recommend), then make sure it has the proper enzymes to clean the diaper. Some natural detergents do not contain enough enzymes to really clean them which can lead to stink issues later on.

2. Go the old school route. Modern cloth diapers are so different in comparison to the old school days of cloth diapering, however the old school ways are still an option. Rather than investing in pocket diapers or All in One diapers, which typically run $20-30 per diaper, you can go the old route with covers and prefolds. A good cover runs around $15 on average and a package of six prefolds will typically cost you $12. With two covers and one pack of prefolds you can have six diaper changes just right there.

Breakdown of Covers and Prefolds vs. Pockets/AIO

Average Pocket/AIO cost: $25

Average Cost for six Pocket/AIO: $150

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Average cost of One Diaper Cover: $15

Average cost for six package of prefolds: $12

Average cost for six cover/prefold diapers: $42

Total Savings of Pockets/AIO vs Covers and Prefolds: $108

*prefolds are typically sold as a package of six as are flats. You can use flats, prefolds, soakers or any insert inside of your cover typically. All of this is available in our store.

3. Purchase used cloth diapers. I know this may sound a little crazy to some people, but many mothers typically begin their diaper stash by buying lots of used cloth diapers. This is great because if you turn out to not like cloth diapering, then you didn't really invest a whole lot of money and can likely still sell the used diapers again. It's also great because you can figure out which styles and brands you prefer and then purchase just a few more brand new ones of those favorites to finish off your stash. As long as you bleach your used diapers before using them, there is nothing wrong with diapering with second hand diapers. Cloth diapers have a long life to them if they have been taken care of properly.

4. Sun dry your diapers. This helps with reducing dryer use and it fights stains naturally. Sun drying (or line drying indoors) helps extend the life of your diapers (especially for shells and covers).

5. Join the appropriate diaper groups on Facebook. Joining these groups will help you find used diaper deals; will provide you with a place to sell your diapers; will provide a support group for you to troubleshoot any diapering issues; and will provide a fun sense of community.

6. Stick to just what you need. Cloth diapering is very addictive because there are so many amazing companies, brands and prints out there. Many mamas get hooked on one particular brand and feel the need to have every print and color that brand produces, even if it means they will have more diapers than they need. Stick to the basic 18-24 diapers and try not to extend too much past this. If you want new prints and colors, try selling some of your old ones first.

* We recommend 18-24 to allow you to wash every other day.

7. Sell what you don't like. It's easy to want to keep all of your diapers because you think you may need them or can't part with certain prints. Or perhaps you're like me and you keep the ones you really don't like as "backup" for days that you may wait too long to do laundry and so on. If you do this and have a handful of diapers that never get used, SELL THEM.

8. Take care of them and they will take care of you. Seriously, if you care for your diapers the right way then you will more than likely be able to use them on more than just one baby. Line dry them, use the right detergent, wash them every other day (no longer than every three days), use cloth diaper safe rash creams and wash them as a load and not mixed in with ya know, jeans and stuff. Take care of them and they will last a long time! We currently use the same diapers on our second child that our first born wore. Cloth diapers can truly save you money!

Thanks for reading and sharing our post!!!

Have a cloth diaper related question? Email it straight to us at themushymommy@gmail.com

Sasha is the owner and founder of The Mushy Mommy, a natural mother and baby boutique and The Mushy Mommy Village. She is a SAHM who works hard at living as minimal and unprocessed as possible, but never claims perfection. Her mission is to inspire, encourage, enlighten and empower mothers all over to feel good about their choices, to make healthy choices and to enjoy motherhood and all of its beauty and chaos.

Perhaps one of my favorite homemaking topics is always about grocery shopping and budgets! I don’t know why, but this conversation always inspires me to see how I can change my ways or it sometimes even makes me proud of being able to keep our grocery budget near the amount that we tend to.

Everyone has different ideas of what is a “good” grocery food budget and that is okay because every family has different needs and wants. Honestly, there’s no right or wrong answer here in terms of budgets and where to shop - but there’s always some handy tips to share with one another.

I have found that these tips (some that are widely known tips) really do help with sticking to a clear budget and without getting distracted by extras.

Let’s face it, motherhood isn’t easy. We often need all of the unicorn magic, fairy dust and rainbows to make it through each day. But since those things don’t really exist, I’ll just settle on some good oils, lots of prayers and a cheap glass of wine.

When it comes to oils and motherhood there are countless oils we can use for our day. Whether it’s oils for emotions, oils for sleep or even oils for our teething babies, there are many ways in which we can have a tool box of support for our day to day role as MOM.

So today I am going to highlight my top 10 oils that I insist every mother should have on hand. There are so many wonderful oils and several that I have left off here, but dang these are mostly just the oils that will help bring you some peace, sleep and sanity. And a little backup for all the in betweens.

I thought I would always be that mom…

You know, the mom who had kids that ALWAYS looked super put together and stylish. Maybe not always in the fanciest of clothes (because #bills), but definitely in the cutest clothes from hip boutiques and with beautiful bows and perfect hair.

And then life happened.

And by life, I really just mean I had three kids within 5 years. Which translates to a whole lot of chaos if we’re being real here.

There are days where we leave our house and I’m thinking to myself, “Damn I hope we don’t run into anyone we know.” Or I’m already mentally preparing myself to tell whatever human I run into the truth - these heathens demanded on dressing themselves and today I didn’t care because it was one less battle to win.

Want to know more about a particular topic? Have a product you want us to try? Need advice on how to begin cloth diapering?

We are always ready to hear from our readers! Shoot us a message with your questions and thoughts and we'll happily get back to you as soon as possible.

themushymommy@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: This is a support site that does not claim to make any medical claims. It simply gives personal testimonials and "possible" solutions. Please always talk to your care provider before making any decisions regarding your health or your family's.